Eoin Harty

Horses long ago tutored Eoin Harty in the kind of coincidences that defy rational explanation, as we'll discover when reaching the story of Well Armed. But losing both parents inside a week, in February, was maybe not quite as bewildering as it may seem. As Harty says himself, after 66 happy years together, perhaps the reason his father followed his mother so quickly was not so much a heart attack, as a broken heart. As a fifth-generation trainer, Harty owed not just personal but professional formation to his Irish genes....

Trainer John W. Sadler has been elected President of the Board of Directors of California Thoroughbred Trainers, Inc. [CTT], succeeding Eoin G. Harty, who has served in that capacity since 2019, and remains a Director, the organization said via a Tuesday press release. Sadler previously served as a Director or President of CTT on several occasions, most recently from 2010 to 2013. He was instrumental in developing the Edwin J. Gregson Foundation in 1998, which benefits and enhances the quality of life for backstretch workers and their families.

5th-Presque Isle Downs, $35,890, Msw, 10-1, 2yo, f, 6f (AWT), 1:10.89, ft, 5 3/4 lengths. HEN PARTY (f, 2, Into Mischief--Fair Maiden {GISW-USA, SW & GISP-Can, $324,778}, by Street Boss), sent off a 7-2 under a feathery impost of 110lbs, settled in a ground-saving third under Amanda Poston as Broadway Musical (Mendelssohn) carved out an opening quarter in :22.79. Roused by her rider at the head of the lane, the ultra-green Hen Party drew off to win by 5 3/4 lengths over Intimate (Connect). Favored Sun Kiss (Girvin) was third....

8th-IND, $43.5k, Msw, 2yo, f, 5fT, post time: 5:47 p.m. ET HEN PARTY (Into Mischief) is the headline act in this turf dash for Godolphin and trainer Eoin Harty. The May foal is set to become the latest starter for Fair Maiden (Street Boss), who graduated by better than 14 lengths at second asking and was third in the GI Natalma Stakes in 2019 before upsetting the GI La Brea Stakes the following season. The bay filly is the year-younger half-sister to First Resort (Uncle Mo), himself a first-out winner...

4th-ELP, $100K, Msw, 2yo, 1mT, 2:16 p.m. ET. A $500,000 buy during Keeneland September, PIASTRI (Not This Time) gets behind the wheel for L & N Racing and Robert Zoellner. The Steve Asmussen trainee is out of SP Boule (Exchange Rate), who herself was purchased for $160,000 by Rhianon Farms at the 2020 Keeneland November Sale while in-foal with current 4-year-old filly Thorny (Violence). Boule is a half-sister to GSW Tide of the Sea (English Channel) and her own grand dam is MGISW Tates Creek (Rahy), who is responsible for...

1st-CD, $120K, Msw, 2yo, 5f, 12:45 p.m. ET. The news broke this past week that Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas would be stepping down as the head of his stable because of health reasons and assistant Bas Nicholl would be taking over for the man known to many as 'Coach.' In Saturday's opener on the card, the aptly-named TRACK LEGEND (Charlatan) will be unveiled for owner Live the Legacy with Lukas still listed in the program. Out of Canadian champion female sprinter Moonlit Promise (Malibu Moon), the dark...

On a day which traditionally served as the 'after party' to the opening Friday and Saturday of Keeneland's April meet, Verity (Nyquist) claimed the honor of being the graded action opener this year, bounding home in those royal blue silks to take the GII Beaumont Stakes. With torrential rain and catastrophic flooding across Kentucky, the racing world did not escape the bad weather unscathed, as Keeneland was forced to abandon Friday and Saturday racing--now rescheduled for Monday and Tuesday--after Gov. Andy Beshear declared a state of emergency for the entire...

Godolphin's First Resort (Uncle Mo), winner of the GII Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes last November, has been forced off the Triple Crown trail by a hairline fracture in his left hock, according to trainer Eoin Harty. The news was first reported by Daily Racing Form's Dave Grening. First Resort was expected to make his sophomore debut in Saturday's John Battaglia Stakes, but was scratched out of that race when when Harty noticed stiffness in that left leg following a work at Turfway Feb. 18. The injury is not expected to...

Godolphin's First Resort (Uncle Mo) will scratch from Saturday's $175,000 John Battaglia Memorial at Turfway Park after exiting a workout earlier this week with stiffness in his left hind leg, according to trainer Eoin Harty. The 2-1 morning-line favorite was set to make his 3-year-old debut following a victory in the GII Kentucky Jockey Club last fall at Churchill Downs. He worked a half-mile in :51.20 (8/11) at Turfway Tuesday. "I worked him (Tuesday), and by Wednesday he was a little stiff behind," Harty said. "He hasn't really improved, so we're...

3rd-TAM, $53K, Msw, 3yo, f, 7f, 1:50 p.m. ET. MEURSAULT (Tapit) is set for her first start under the care of trainer Chad Brown for Alpha Delta. A $700,000 Keeneland September buy, the filly is out of unraced Lasy W (War Front), who claims one other foal--a yearling filly by Quality Road. The first-time starter's second dam, GI Acorn Stakes heroine Zaftig (Gone West), is also responsible for MGSP Spinoff (Hard Spun). Joining Meursault at the barrier is homebred Smoothly (Nyquist). Godolphin also campaigned her dam Via Strata (Street Cry...

From Godolphin's 12 starters in 10 renewals of the GI Kentucky Derby, favored Essential Quality (Tapit)'s promoted third-place finish following Medina Spirit (Protonico)'s medication disqualification in 2021 has been the best result to date. With four serious contenders--all homebreds--on target for upcoming Kentucky Derby preps and fresh off a fifth consecutive Eclipse Award as outstanding owner, could this be the year for Sheikh Mohammed's powerhouse global operation? "We've been there before and we've had chances," Godolphin USA Director of Bloodstock Michael Banahan said. "Who knows what's written in the stars,...

We're inside the 13-week mark to the GI Kentucky Derby with no seismic changes to the running order at this early stage of the season. The rankings are fairly evenly distributed among contenders based on both coasts and in Kentucky, Arkansas and Louisiana. 1) FIRST RESORT (c, Uncle Mo-Fair Maiden, by Street Boss). O/B-Godolphin (KY); T-Eoin G. Harty. Lifetime record GSW, 4-2-1-0, $338,671. Last start: WON Nov. 30 GII Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes. First Resort's 6-1 win in the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes Nov. 30 rated as the most visually...